My 5th Great Grandfather, Jacob Conrad Clock (1754-1832) and his son-in-law, my 4th GGrandfather, Edward Phillips (married to Mary [Clock]) appeared to have been very involved at the time of the war of 1812 but the information appears that they may not have been exactly ‘flag-waving’ Loyalists.

Jacob Conrad Clock started out in the War of Independence as a Lieutenant in Col. Jacob Klock’s Corps. of the Continental army. He was taken prisoner by the British and transported to Montreal in 1780. He then signed up with the British in the 2nd Battalion of the King’s Royal Regiment of New York under Sir John Johnson who was sent on a raid to the Mohawk Valley. Once he was there he deserted and returned to his wife and family. Johnathan Hart, another member of the second battalion of the King’s Royal Regiment of New York, testified to this desertion in York Township, Oct. 1811.

Jacob Conrad Clock and his wife Anna Eva Staring Clock came to York Township in 1801/2 with 13 children, livestock and ‘moveable property’. They settled on lot 32, third concession from the Bay, York township.

Their daughter, Mary, married Edward Phillips, and these are my 4th Great Grandparents.

Apparently Joseph Conrad Clock and his son-in-law, Edward Phillips were in the York Militia during the War of 1812-14. In the Military "C" Series they can be seen joining and deserting the militia with great regularity. At one point both were in the guard house.

It was during the War of 1812-14 when the Americans invaded the Town of York that Jacob Conrad Clock and Edward Phillips were charged with treason by Jacob Conrad’s other sons-in-law Jacob and George Anderson and their father Elias Anderson UEL. (This must have made for interesting family gatherings).

It was asserted that they were friendly with the Americans and sold them veal, eggs and butter.

There is more to the case but I don’t know the outcome. In Pierre Burton’s book, Flames Across the Border: 1813-1814, he mentions my 4thGG, Edward Phillips, being in trouble for his political sympathies.